Wearing shorts was a sin?
I grew up in a strict church organization which believed that the wearing of shorts was inappropriate for its members and was viewed as a sinful practice.
My dad was a pastor and was loyal to the church teachings so obviously we weren’t allowed to wear shorts. Our church denomination had something called the “Advice to Members” which stated that: “the wearing of shorts in public should never be practiced.”
We never practiced it - even during the blistering hot Georgia summers.
I once asked my parents why churches in other countries could wear shorts and we could not. I was told that it was part of their culture. I never bought that explanation. If they were part of our church how could they be allowed to wear shorts?
The shorts issue put me in a difficult situation one in high school. At the beginning of a semester, the gym teacher informed us that we would be required to wear uniforms for the class which included shorts.
My dad would have none of that.
He sent a letter to the principal stating that I was not allowed to wear shorts and should be exempt from the requirement. I was the only one in the class not wearing shorts. You can imagine the attention I got for that.
Wearing shorts is not a sin. I figured that out later.
It was quite odd in later years when I came across a photo where my dad was wearing shorts. It was weird considering how extremely strict he had been about it.
I don’t remember when I started wearing shorts but I never had a problem with it. It has been a matter of comfort not religion or abiding by some church “advice”. I also wear them in moderation and don’t go to the extreme either.
As an adult, I have had to relearn many things about the church and my relationship with God. I have learned that it doesn’t bother him if I wear shorts. He is more concerned about the condition of my heart than He is a church groups’ bylaws about wearing shorts.
